New Monarch Fire Chief On The Job Tuesday

There figures to be little in the way of extra time for new Monarch Fire Protection District Chief Thomas Vineyard to get acquainted as he starts his first day on the job Tuesday in charge of a fire district which serves all or parts of Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Maryland Heights, Wildwood, Ballwin, Clarkson Valley and unincorporated St. Louis County.

Vineyard succeeds the retiring Chip Biele, who spent more than four decades in the department.

Vineyard's tenure begins as the district is trying to put an employment discrimination lawsuit behind it, while at the same time dealing with

Last month, that his goals for the Monarch district are to address the image misperceptions of the firefighters being overpaid and underworked. "Monarch firefighters have been drug through the mud in the last several years," he said. "They do make a decent living, but they train hard and work hard. And when that bell rings, they are prepared to do their jobs."

He will also have to address lingering perceptions from district critics, led by former District Board Member Richard Gans, who have contended that he wasn't qualified for the position and that his hiring was part of a larger union-influenced plan to gain control over Monarch operations.

In short order, Vineyard will be working with district staff on the potential for a bond measure to be put before voters as soon as April, which would fund purchases such as equipment and real estate for a new firehouse. Board President Kim Evans said Thursday "..one of the very first orders of business when our chief assumes his position," is the "extreme need" for long-range  planning.

The decision to put a bonding proposal to voters in April must be made by January 24. Board members have said they would not support a measure which would ask voters for a tax increase.

Once that decision is made, it will be up to Vineyard to largely be the face of any information campaign to pursuade the public. But first he has to start the job Tuesday, with his board of directors meeting scheduled for Thursday night.